For seven of the 10 organizations with teams in the Rookie-level Appalachian League, the clubs serve as their entry-level U.S. affiliate. So more than the normal complement of college-aged players traveled the Appy trails this year after a stricter visa application process limited the number of available Latin players, a demographic that normally dominates the league.

"Definitely, we saw some kids that should have been playing in short-season A somewhere," Bluefield manager Gary Kendall said.

Managers agreed the older composition raised the level of play and made the standout performances of the younger players all the more impressive. No one caused more gasps than Greeneville outfielder Mitch Einertson. A fifth-round pick in June, Einertson tied Joy Gritts' 1960 league record with 24 home runs.

"Coming out of high school and hitting over 20 home runs is almost impossible to do," Burlington manager Rouglas Odor said. "Manny Ramirez, when he was here, he hit 19 home runs and had 63 RBIs."

Einerston also led the league in RBIs (67) and slugging percentage (.692) while batting .308. He went homerless in his last five regular-season games and failed to pass Gritts, but Einerston hit two longballs during Greeneville's championship series win against Danville and then cranked another in his first game after a promotion to the short-season New York-Penn League.